Well, not many of us have the Order of Canada...which is to say...they might as well tell us about him..

BUT why on EARTH has there not been an official announcement of new hires? We heard some time ago about promotions- wonderful news of course- but what about the new hires? There is mention of some names on you dance canada (which i think I posted earlier) - but last year by this time there had been a company press release.

I think the dancers who are just starting on their professional journey should have a proper announcement...ditto anyone who is joining nboc from another company.

Thanks for diving into the discussion Mom2. I forgot all about Mr. K’s Order of Canada. Indeed, it is rather odd the National has clamed up about the departure of their former AD and we haven’t heard anything about new hires from the National Ballet School or elsewhere. Perhaps their PR staff have gone fishing for the summer or perhaps they have once again cut back on staff. Who knows?

Perhaps we shouldn’t even speak of such matters as it may not be appreciated by the powers that be at the National and elsewhere.

_________________The world revolves around the beauty of the ballerina.

We have some ballet news thanks to a letter from Mrs. K addressed to the one and only Michael Goldbarth! Mrs. K was delighted to update me on a repertoire change for June of 2008. She sprinkled in a little folk rock to the mixed programme with ‘The Fiddle and The Drum’ featuring songs and artwork by Joni Mitchell, which will replace Skin Divers. Next season should be quite interesting.

Ballet Queen Karen Kain obviously wants to appeal to a broader more liberal audience and at the same time provide enough familiar classics to keep the older more conservative generation entertained. The 2007/2008 season should be very rewarding for the dancers artistically and hopefully the cash registers will Ring-a-Ding Ding Ka-Ching over Mrs. K’s New Democratic ballet choices.

_________________The world revolves around the beauty of the ballerina.

Rudolf Nureyev’s Sleeping Beauty under La Scala Ballet with Guillaume Côté as the Prince was da bomb as in BOMBED at the Royal Opera House! I feared the often very fickle Brit critics would snub their noses at this hyperbolic production overflowing with mime. Even the very princely Guillaume Côté did not escape unscathed.

Despite all of this the production fails to ignite. Wednesday’s opening performance, fielding the first of three casts, felt brittle beneath the glitter. The dancing was often under par, steps occasionally fudged, characterisations rarely reaching beyond cliché.

…Her prince, Guillaume Côté, a guest from the National Ballet of Canada, fared better, even if he did have to cope with a fiendish but pointless solo that Nureyev interpolated into the second act.

_________________The world revolves around the beauty of the ballerina.

Thank you LMCtech, I’ll take that as a…compliment? We try to keep a clean city in the Big Smoke! I take it you found the theatre projected all the ambience of a podiatrist’s office? It actually exudes much more personality on the inside than the outside. I wish they would add some art or murals, anything to give the place a little extra charisma.

_________________The world revolves around the beauty of the ballerina.

The evening began with excerpts from Kenneth MacMillan’s whimsical and light-hearted “Elite Syncopations”. Former principal dancer Rex Harrington returned to the stage as the Principal Man, much to the audience’s delight. He was so at ease with the choreography and the other dancers, it was as if he had never left. Although he can have a tendency to be a bit of a ham, it is totally appropriate in this ballet, and what’s more, the joy he finds in performing is palpable and infectious. Nevertheless, Xiao Nan Yu, as the Red Hot Woman, did not allow him to steal the show. Her dancing was spot on and had attitude to spare. She is impossible to take your eyes off of. Tanya Howard, newly promoted to first soloist, gave a notable performance in the cheeky Calliope Rag. Julie Hay and Jeremy Nasmith were perfect in the comical Alaskan Rag, with their gaping height difference.

_________________The world revolves around the beauty of the ballerina.

National Ballet of Canada NewsFlash! I received my season subscription tickets in the mail and it is the exact same seat as last year! Yahoooo! As a further bonus, the National has requested me to email them my name, account # AND home phone number along with the name of the dancer I’d like an autographed pair of pointe shoes! MMMmmm. Who shall I pick?

Click HERE for the August NBoC Newsletter-Lots of births, free tours of the Four Seasons Centre, and other fun stuff.

On a very sad note, Maestro of the Canadian Opera Company, Richard Bradshaw, passed away from an apparent heart attack after returning from a family vacation. Karen Kain offered her condolences, which you can read HERE.

_________________The world revolves around the beauty of the ballerina.

Below is what single tickets will cost for 2007/2008 compared to this past season-Lots of changes in the pricing and seating arrangements.

Grand Ring: $200 used to be $190 and $155 - UP
Orchestra 1.1: $155 used to be $170 and $155 - Down
Orchestra 1.2: $135 used to be $130 - UP
Ring 3: $120 used to be $155, $105, and $85 – About the same
Orchestra 1.3: $105 used to be $105 - Same
Ring 4: $85 used to be $85 and $55 - UP
Ring 5.1 $55 used to be $55 - Same
Ring 5.2: $45 used to be $40 – UP

* The above is just an estimate in regards to the seating areas.

_________________The world revolves around the beauty of the ballerina.

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